Multiple tray serving device



Se t. 19, 1961 MIKLICH MULTIPLE TRAY SERVING DEVICE Filed NOV. 18, 1958 42 HIIIIIHIIIB 4O INVENTOR. LOUIS MlkllCh United States Patent 3,000,532 MULTIPLE TRAY SERVING DEVICE Louis Miklich, New York, NY. (3037 Old Arch Road, Norristown, Pa.)

Filed Nov. 18, 1958, Ser. No. 775,677 3 Claims. (Cl. 220-23.4)

The present invention relates to a serving stand, and more particularly to a portable, multiple tray service stand for use at a table or the like or for carrying around to display and serve a number of difierent comestibles at one and the same time, and especially'to a serving stand of such character having removable trays that may be individually used for serving and replaced on the stand when desired.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a serving stand of the character described having novel means for removably supporting the several serving trays thereon.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a serving stand of the character described in which the several individual serving trays may be easily and quickly mounted and demounted.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a serving stand of the character described on which the Patented Sept. 19, 1961 ICE ' preferably tubular embossment, 16, into which there is several individual serving trays are safely and securely supported when assembled.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a multiple tray-serving stand of the character decharacter described Which is not limited in its production to any particular or specific shape but which may be formed in a great variety of decorative and attractive shapes and forms.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide general means for supporting a tray in suspension that are of simple construction, easy and convenient to use as Well as safe to use and that are simple and easy to install.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the multiple serving tray stand of the present invention and of the tray supporting means of the invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the embodiments thereof shown in the accompanying drawing and from the description following. It is to be understood, however, that such embodiments are shown by way of illustration only, to make the principles and practice of the invention more readily comprehensible, and without any intent of limiting the invention to the specific details therein shown.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one embodiment of a serving stand of the present invention; shown fully assembled with the trays thereof;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, foreshortened and enlarged, elevational and partly sectional view of such stand, showing structural details;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a tray supporting element of the present invention; and

FIG. 4 is a top edge view of such element.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawing, and with particular reference to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the serving stand comprises a base, 10, adapted to rest on a surface, such as of a table, or bufiet, of preferably set a post, 18, having handle means, such as finger pieces, 20, at its upper end.

In practical production, the base 10, cylinder 14 and embossment 16 may all be integrally formed, as by spinning or drawing from a single metal blank, or by shaping from a solid metal blank, or may be molded or shaped from plastic, to make production economical. For the same purpose the post 18 and handle 20 may be integrally formed.

Horizontally extending slots 24, are formed in the wall of cylinder 14, preferably directly at its base, so that the shoulder 12 for-ms the lower edge thereof, and shorter, unwardly extending slots, 26, are formed in said wall at the extremity of each of the slots 24, so that the slots 24 and 26 are continuous, and form, in essence, 'What' would be an arcuate U-shaped slot or a slot of L- shaped cross-section if the same were formed in a solid cylinder. As many of slots 24-26 are formed in the cylinder 14 as the number of trays desired to be used or mounted on the stand, all within the limitation of the space provided.

The trays, 30, of which four are shown, are preferably formed withfa round top opening and may otherwise be of any desired shape, such as the semi-ovoid shape il lustrated, or, if desired, flat buttomed, so that they may be individually rested on a surface. Each of the trays 30 is provided with a marginal edge section that is doubly ,ofiset; namely, having a laterally and outwardly extending flange, 32, the end, 34, of which is upwardly bent.

To mount a tray 30 on the stand, it is first tilted, so that the edge portion 34 approaches the horizontal,

and such edge portion is inserted into the slot 24. The

tray 30 is then straightened to bring the edge portion 34 into the upright slots 26 and to bring the edge portion 32 to rest and be supported on the arcuate lower edge of the slot 24 which, in the illustrated embodiment, comprises the shoulder 12, for improved support. To remove the tray from the stand, the operation is reversed.

It may here be stated that the base 10' may be so shaped that its side will contact and support the side of the tray 30, when the latter is mounted in place. This may be done by making at least a portion of the side wall of the base of complementary curvature to the curvature of the side of the tray in register with it. Thus, in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, the tray 30 is shown as being of oval vertical cross section and the base 10 is formed with a side wall that is of reversed oval shape, to contact and support the sides of the mounted trays.

It may here also be stated that the tray 30 need not be completely circular but may be merely provided with an arcuate marginal edge portion formed with the double ofiset edge, as described above, including a portion such as 32 and another portion such as 34. Such a tray can readily be mounted in place by its arcuate portion.

It will also be seen that the mounting for the tray 30 need not include a shoulder portion, such as 12, the arcuate lower edge portion of the slot 24 being sufficient to support the arcuate flange portion 32, to maintain the tray in suspended position. With that fact in view, I have also devised a bracket for supporting a tray such as 30 in suspended position. Such bracket is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawing and comprises, preferably a bar, generally designated as 36, which may be of metal or other suitable rigid material, having an armate central section, 38, and preferably flat end sections, 40, by which they may be secured to an upright surface, such as a wall, as by means of the holes, 42, through which nails or screws may be driven. The arcuate portion 38 of the bar 36 is provided with a circumferentially extending slot, 44, and at its ends, with upwardly directed slot extensions, 46.

In use, the bar or bracket 36 is secured in place, horizontally, on an upright surface, so that the slot 44 is horizontal, and the tray 30 may be mounted in the slots 44-46, in the manner described above.

This completes the description of the tray supporting means and serving stand of the present invention. It will be apparent that this invention provides a serving stand that is of attractive appearance and simple and easy and convenient to use in a multiplicity of ways and is relatively economical to produce.

It will also be apparent that numerous variations and modifications in the serving stand and the tray supporting bracket of the present invention may be made by any one skilled in the art, in accordance with the principles of the invention hereinabove set forth, and without the exercise of any inventive ingenuity. I desire, therefore, to be protected for any and all such variations and modifications that may be made within the spirit of the present invention and the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is:

1. A serving device, comprising a base member of circular horizontal cross-section and having at least one removable receptacle attached to and supported on said base member, said receptacle having a circular outwardly extending circumferential rim at its top, said rim having an upwardly extending flange at its outer periphery, said base member having formed therein, at a point intermediate its top and bottom, a circumferentially extending slot having a bottom extending cord-wise of the curved surface of the base and an axially extending slot extending upwardly from the bottom of said first slot, said bottom of said circumferentially extending slot adapted to support said rim and said upwardly extending slot of a height equal at least to the height of said flange.

2. A serving device, comprising a hollow base member of circular horizontal cross-section and at least one removable receptacle attached to and supported on said base member, said receptacle having a circular outwardly extending circumferential rim at its top, said rim having an upwardly extending flange at its outer periphery, said base member having formed therein, at a point intermediate its top and bottom, a circumferentially extending slot, said slot connecting at each end thereof with a vertically extending slot formed in the base wall, said vertically extending slots each of a height equal at least to the height of said flange.

3. A serving device, comprising an upwardly tapering hollow base member of circular horizontal cross-section and at least one removable receptacle attached to and supported on said base member, said receptacle having a circular top, an outwardly extending circumferential rim at its top, said rim having an upwardly extending flange at its outer periphery, said receptacle tapering axially downwardly from said rim, said base member having formed therein, at a point intermediate its top and bottom, a circumferentially extending slot connected at each end'with a vertically extending slot formed in said base, the taper of said receptacle being complementary to the axial taper of said base member below said circumferentially extending slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent (Addition to No. 933,854) 

